Gary Man Charged After 9-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot Inside Home
Gary – A 35-year-old Gary man with a violent criminal history has been charged in connection with the shooting death of 9-year-old Adrian Brown, who was found unresponsive inside his family’s home over the weekend.
On October 4, 2025, Gary Police were called to 452 Madison Street after reports of a child shot. Officers arrived to learn the victim, identified as Adrian Brown, had already been taken by family to Methodist Northlake Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators say Adrian’s mother and her boyfriend, Raymon Bell, had left the home briefly to buy groceries, leaving the three children—ages 9, 11, and 13—alone. While they were away the mother received a frantic call from her 13-year-old son stating his brother was “down on the floor.”
When the mother and Bell returned, they found Adrian bleeding in the hallway between the bathroom and the living room. The mother picked up her son and rushed him to the hospital while Bell drove. Surveillance footage from the hospital reportedly showed the mother exiting the passenger side of a silver Jeep Cherokee with Adrian in her arms before the vehicle sped away, leaving the passenger door still open.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office later ruled Adrian’s death a homicide, citing a gunshot wound as the cause. Crime Scene investigators reported finding blood near the hallway area but no firearm or shell casing in the residence. Detectives noted there was no evidence of a gun safe or any firearm storage, despite three children living in the home.
A downstairs neighbor told investigators he heard the commotion and saw the mother and Bell carrying Adrian from the home. He said Bell later returned to the apartment before police arrived, allegedly retrieving one of the children.
Interviews with the surviving children revealed disturbing details. The 13-year-old brother told police he was playing video games when he heard a “loud boom.” His 11-year-old brother then ran into the room saying Adrian was hurt.
During questioning, the 11-year-old told investigators that Adrian had found a gun under the mattress in their mother and Raymon’s bedroom and that the boys thought it was fake. He said Adrian handed him the weapon and told him it wasn’t real, moments before it fired.
When detectives asked him to describe the gun, the 11-year-old said it looked like a “cowboy gun,” which investigators noted typically refers to a revolver consistent with the lack of shell casings found at the scene.
Court records show Bell is a convicted serious violent felon with previous convictions for Aggravated Battery (2015) and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon (2024). He was on probation at the time of the shooting.
A 911 call placed by one of the children reportedly captured a man’s voice, believed to be Bell, saying “under my bed, get it,” suggesting his knowledge of the weapon’s location. Investigators believe Bell removed the firearm from the scene before police arrived.
Charges Filed
Prosecutors have charged Bell with the following eight counts:
- Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Death – Level 1 Felony
- Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury – Level 3 Felony
- Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon – Level 4 Felony
- Reckless Homicide – Level 5 Felony
- Neglect of a Dependent – Level 6 Felony
- Neglect of a Dependent – Level 6 Felony
- Neglect of a Dependent – Level 6 Felony
- Obstruction of Justice – Level 6 Felony
Detectives wrote that Bell’s decision to keep an unsecured firearm in the home, despite being legally prohibited from possessing one, directly led to Adrian’s death. The affidavit states Bell’s conduct showed “a plain, conscious, and unjustifiable disregard of harm that could and did result.”
“Today, the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office has formally filed charges against Raymon Bell in connection with the tragic shooting death of a 9-year-old child who found and discharged an unsecured firearm,” Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter said. “This heartbreaking incident serves as a solemn reminder of the devastating consequences of failing to properly secure guns in the home. The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and all those affected by this tragedy.”
Bell remains in custody pending his initial court appearance. The investigation was conducted by the Gary Police Department, Lake County Homicide Task Force, and Lake County Coroner’s Office.
